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Patented Nov. l, 398. .1. E. PnAuL.

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(Application led June 11, 1897.)

(No Model.)

Hl IUKNEYJ wITNEssEs:

Nrran Starts JOHN E. PRAUL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF SIX TWENTY-FIFTHS TO O. CHURCHILL, OF SAME PLACE.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,601, dated November 1, 1898.

Application filed June 11, 1897. Serial No. 640,355. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. PRAUL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bicycles,which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in bicycles; and it consists of, first, a novel combination of parts whereby a chain and accompanying sprocket-wheels are dispensed with, and, next, of a combination of parts, including a device on the bearing of the pedalshaft, whereby said bearing may be more or less frictionally controlled, the features being pointed out in the claims that follow the specification.

Figure l represents a side elevation of a bicycle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a transverse vertical section of a portion of the same about the pedal-shaft. Fig. 3 represents a section on line .fr x, Fig. 2, on areduced scale. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of the mechanism employed for clamping the boss of the rotary shell of the internal gear employed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A` designates the pedal-shaft of a bicycle, the same being provided at its ends with the collars B,whose bearings are on the bosses C and D. On the boss D is the flange E, to which are secured the portions F of the frame of the bicycle. On the shaft A are the shoulders G and H of the collars B of said shaft. Interposed between the shoulder H and the boss C are the ball-bearin gs H3.

Encircling a portion of the shaft, on the side toward the shoulder G, is the rotary sleeve J, between which and said shoulder G are interposed the ball-bearings K. Interposed between the boss D and said sleeve J are the ball-bearings L, and to the inner portion of said sleeve is secured the gear or sun wheel M.

Extending radially from the sleeve'J is the vertical wall N, which is provided with a peripheral rim P, which forms somewhat of a casing, within which is the internal gear Q, and between the latter and said rim are the ball-bearings Q2. Meshing with said gear Q is the pinion R, whose shaft or axle S is mounted on the crank-arm T; the latter being secured to the pedal-shaft A (in the present case by being screwed thereto) and retained in position by the nut U and collar V on said shaft, the body of the pinion being freely mounted on said aXle S, interposed between which and the body are ball-bearings W.

X designates a vertical wall which is parallel with the wallN and opposite to the same and is connected centrally with the boss O and peripherally with the side of the internal gear Q, it being noticed in Fig. 2 that portions of the teeth of said gear are removed, forming the circular space Y, in which the arm T,

- which carries the pinion R, may rotate.

On the boss O is the split sleeve Z, one portion of the same having formed therewith the arms F of the portion of the frame opposite to the arms F. The ends of said sleeve are formed with ears A', which are engaged by` the threaded end of the rod B', which when operated in one direction opens the sleeve and when in the other direction closes the same, th'us'varying the friction of the sleeve on the boss O. l

It will be seen that when the shaft Ais rotated the arm T is carri ed around with the same and with it the pinion R,which, meshing with the internal gear Q, is rotated on its aXle S. As said pinion meshes with the sun-wheel M the latteris also rotated, and the sleeve J follows the motion of said wheel M, thus imparting motion to the side Wall N and the rim P thereof. The sleeve J rotates on the shoulder G of the collar B and the interposed ba1lbearings K. Said sleeve also rotates on the boss D and flange E and thelinterposed ballbearings M L. The rim Protates on the periphery of the internal gear Q and the interposed ball-bearings Q2. The shoulder H and the collar B rotate on the boss C and the interposed ball-bearings H3. By these provisions, while the chain and sprocket-wheel heretofore in use are obviated, the shaft A is rotated with ease and much freedom, owing to the reduced friction of the parts. During this operation thesleeve Z tightly embraces the boss O, rendering the same and the intel-nal gear Q stationary. When, however,

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said sleeve is loosened, said boss C and the internal gear Q are released, so that they may rotate, due to the motion of the pinion S iinparted to the same, the gear Q slipping on the rim l?, thus rendering the operation of the shaft A a matter of great ease--a feature of importance when the bicycle ascends grades or steep places.

The friction of the sleeve Z on the boss C may be adjusted relatively to the extent of freedom desired to be imparted to the boss C, and consequently to the gear Q, whereby the speed of the rim P is decreased and the force for hill-climbing is correspondingly increased.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a bicycle, a pedal-shaft, with collars on its ends, a boss having a flange secured to the frame of the bicycle, a rotary sleeve encircling said shaft, a shell With an internal gear having a boss connected therewith, ballbearings for one of said bosses and one of said collars, ball-bearings for the other collar and the rotary sleeve, ball-bearings for said sleeve and the adjacent boss, a crankarm on said shaft, a pinion on said arm meshing with said internal gear and a sun-wheel on said rotary sleeve, said pinion meshing with said sun-Wheel.

2. In a bicycle, a pedal-shaft with collars on its ends, a boss having a flange secured to the bicycle-frame, a rotatable sleeve encircling said shaft and provided with a Wall having a peripheral rim, a rotatable shell Within said rim having an internal gear, a boss with a Wall secured to said shell, ball-bearings for one of said bosses and one of said collars, ball-bearings for the other boss and said rotatable sleeve, ball-bearings for said sleeve and the other collar, a pinion on said crankarni meshing with said internal gear and a sun-Wheel on said sleeve, said pinion mesh# ing with said gear.

3. In a bicycle, a pedal-shaft with collars thereon, a boss with a liange secured to the frame of a bicycle, a rotatable sleeve having a Wall with a peripheral rim, a rotatable shell Within said rim provided with an internal gear, a boss having a Wall secured to said shell, a crank-arm on said pedal-shaft, a pin ion on said crank-arm meshing with said in-V ternal gear, a sun-wheel on said sleeve with which said pinion meshes, and means connected with the bicycle-frame for clamping the boss of the rotatable shell.

JOI-IN E. PRAUL.

Witnesses:

Jol-1N A. WIEDERSHEIM, WM. C. WIEDERSHEIM. 

